Steering-wheel heater



L. J. COBUS.

STEERING WHEEL HEATER. APPLICATION FILED IuLY 9. 1920.

Lgw Patented May 22, 2222.

iiawiann'en ci. nonies, or ntinwannisn, wisconsin.

SlEEIRING-WTHEEL HEATER.

Maaate.,

.application tiled luigi 9,

and useful improvements in tlteering-lvllheel,

lnleaters, of which the following is 'a description, reteren'cebeing had to the accompani ing drawings, which are a part oi this speciiieation. i rllhis invention relates to improvements'in steering wheel heaters more particularly al' though not solely adapted tor automobile use. -liliany serious accidents result'fiinv the exhaust operations ot vehicles under cold climatic conditions, on account 'of the operators-l hands, which. are in a more'orless inactive position ion the steeringwheel, becoming benumbed by the cold. Manyv attempts have been made to obvia-te this dii'iiculty and render it sate to operate vehicles in cold and inclement weather with various degrees of success; and it is the primary object ot the present invention to provide Va positive method oi' heating the steering wheels ot various types which Willovercome the disadvantages oi others and permit lthe sate operation ot the steering wheel.

It is one ot the objects "of thev present in'- vention to provide a steering wheel heater having novel features of construction whereby the exhaust gases trom the engine are caused to positively-circulate through theA 'spokes and rim ot the steeringwheel of a motor vehicle, motor boat or aeroplane for warming the same so that the hands of the driver.' will be keptwarm while operating the machine. f

A further object of the invention is to provide a steering'wheel heaterin which a heating means is provided for warming outerportions ot the lingers of the driver while holding" the steering.wheel.`

A further object ot -theinvention is to rovide a steering wheel heateryvhich may e easily mounted upon the steering column ot the yordinary steering mechanism without interfering ying function. v

A furtherl object of the invention is to provide a steeringwheel heater having means for easily controlling the tlow ot the hot wheel.

A further object of the invention is to Speciieation of Letters iatent.

theres i?.

in any manner withthe steer-f' gases through lthe steering hand,

Patented May 23,1922?, ieee. 'serial ne. tenere;

and-is well adapted `ifor scribed,

w th the above and other objects in view the purposeA de- `the invention consists ot the improved steer? ing wheel and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims3 and all equivalents In the accompanying drawing in which the saine reterence characters indicate the Isame parts in all ot the vie-ws:

4ll ig. --l is a side view ot a portion ot an automobile provided with the improved steering wheel heater, parts being broken away vand in section to show interior construction;

iig; 2 is a sectional detail view ot the valve .controllingthe -low ot the exhaust gases to the steering wheel;

' F ig. 3ds a sectional view taken on line 3-.3N of Fig. 2';

lFig.\i is a top fragmentary view oi the steeringwheel' shown partly in section; and

l Fig. 5 s avertical sectional view taken on line 5 5 of lligxd.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 8 indicates an automobile body, 9 the driving shaft, 10 the exhaust pipe from the en ,ine and 11 the steering column tor control ing the direction of-travel of the vehicle. steering wheel '12 mounted upon the upper end portion ot the column 11 inthe ordinary manner is formed with tubular spokes 13, a tubular rim 1li and opposite supplemental' tubular heating members 15 which are spaced from the inner and upper portions of the rim, and in cross' section are curved con-- centrically with relationto said rim. 'llhe hores of the supplemental members are in communication '-Withthe rim, and the rim The and 4the bores of the inner ends of the spokes 1 are curved downwardly' and extend through the hubportion 126 of the steering Wheel.

'lhe hub Vportion 16 is formed with an annular channelor recess 17 in its under side intol which extends and closely, but rotatably,

tits the4 upper portion of a channeled ringl 18. 'lhe topA Wall' of said ring -is provided with opposed arcuate slotsf19 and 19 witheach ot which thebore of onespolte 13 registers at all times whereby the. heating medium, supplied by the means hereinafter described, may be eirculatedthrough the steering wheel.

A split pipe coupling 20 'surrounds the exhaust pipe at an opening 10 therein and is provided with a hinged valve 21 which `opens downwardly into the pipe `throu'glh cated at the vehicle dash by a controlling rod 23 connected with an arm 22 secured tothe pivot stem of valve' 21. A .pipe 24 extends from the coupling discharge o ening"` 22 to the intake opening of a rotary an 25,v

preferably mounted adjacent the exhaust pipe, which fan prevents retardation of the flow of exhaust gases and insures the positive circulation of -the gases through the steering wheel.

A "pipe 26 connected to the discharge opening of the fan extends upwardly on'one side of the steering post 11 and is connected to the annular rim 18 mounted on the upper end of said steering post and is in communication with the part annular recess 19.' A discharge pipe 27 connected 'at its upper end to the recessed portion 19 of the rim 18 extends downwardly therefrom on the opposite-side of the steering post and is connected to the vexhaust pipe 10 at lthe rear of the coupling 20 so that the exhaust gases after passing through the steering wheel will be returned to the exhaust pipe. The pipe 26 is provided with a T-coupling 28 for connecting other heating coils thereto when desired.

` The fanv has a belt andpulleyconnection 29 with a pulley 30 loosely `mounted on the drive shaft 9 and is ,driven thereby. A, clutch 31 splined on the drive shaft 9 is 'controlled by a lever 32 which extends within reach of the operator.

The members 15 form shields overlying, the portion ofthe rim 14 which is used as a hand grip by the operator, which-shieldv has a dual use, one, that of shielding or protecting the drivers hands from'the elements as/ well as keeping'them warm,'and the other 4:forming a protector when the heating feature is not in use tol permit a more firm' gasping or holding of the steering wheel.

' From'thel'foregoing-description it will be The valve 21 is controlled 'by suitable means (not shown) preferably lo-f,`

.of thedriver-and permit driving in comfort `in the coldest; weather.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. A controlling member comprising a rim, a pair of opposed, tubular hand grip ortions carriedfby the rim, means connecting the bores of said hand grip portions, a hub plate having av peripheral down-struck flange, a pair of tubular spokes connectiiw said rim and hub plate, the bores of sai spokes communicating one with the interior of each hand grip portion and with the under face of the hub plate, an annular `member having its upper face engaging the under face vof said hub plate and its sides engaging the inner periphery of said hub plate flange, said annular member having two opposed, arcuate recesses in its upper face registering one with the bore of each spoke, means for supplying a fluid to one of said recesses, a fluid exhaust pipe connected with the other recess, and circulating means connected with the fluid supply means for circulating the fluid through said tubular hand grip portions.

2.l A controlling member heating means, comprising a ,steering wheel having a tubular rim and spokes, the bores of the spokes i from portions of the rim and in communication -With said bores, an annular member having recesses in communication with the hub bores, an exhaust pipe, a fan, a tubular connection between the exhaust pipe and the fan and between the fan and one of the recesses of the annular member, a valve controlling the flowof hot gases through the tubular connection, a tube connected to another recess of the annular member and .extending downwardly therefrom, and means for rotating the fan.

3. A device of the character described comprising a controlling member, inlet and outlet pipes connected to the controlling member, a yfan having an intake and an outlet leading therefrom, a valve controlled passage connecting the fan intake with the exhaust of the engine in connection with which the device is employed, and a tube connecting the fanoutletwith said inlet pipe, whereby the engine exhaust gases will be rapidly circulated through the controlling member.

In testimony whereof, l affix my signature.

I AWRENCE J. COBUS.

ioo 

